Search
Now showing items 1-10 of 25
Interventions for postpartum depression
Pregnant women have risk factors that put them at an increased likelihood of developing postpartum depression. There are modifiable risk factors that need to be addressed and brought to pregnant women's attention to ...
Depression screening for older adults
Problem: Depression is not a normal part of aging and is the leading cause of disability in the older adult population. Depression symptoms in the older adult are loss of interest in activities, trouble concentrating, ...
Depression screening in the primary care setting: A quality improvement project
Problem: Depression is a common mental health disorder and is a leading cause of disability among adults worldwide. Symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities normally enjoyed by an ...
IV ketamine infusions for the treatment of depression: An evidence based practice analysis
(2018-05-18)
According to the World Health Organization, major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mental health condition which affects a significant portion of the worldwide population and is projected to become the leading cause of ...
Treating depression and sleep impairment to improve pain levels and quality of life for patients with sickle cell disease: A quality improvement project
(2017-05-19)
Background: Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) pain is both an acute and chronic factor for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Acute, recurrent, and unrelenting pain is often joined by other affective disorders that impact pain chronicity, and some patients with sickle cell disease have depression and/or sleep disturbances that may impact pain levels and quality of life.
Aim: The purpose of this quality improvement project is to improve the process of assessment and treatment of depression and sleep disturbance in patients admitted to Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT with VOC. The goal of this project is to improve overall pain levels and quality of life for patients with SCD through efficient and effective evaluation and treatment for depression and sleep disturbance.
Method: An interdisciplinary team, led by the palliative care (PC) advance practice registered nurse (APRN), used the Stetler Model to guide the process of translating existing research regarding the impact of depression and sleep impairment on pain and quality of life in patients presenting with VOC, into evidence-based practice. The team created the Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Depression and Sleep Impairment in Sickle Cell Disease. Patients were assessed, offered treatments and reassessed during the project period.
Results: Both depression and QOL scores showed significant improvement by the end of the project. Significant correlations were found between pain, depression and sleep; depression, pain, sleep and QOL; sleep, pain, and depression; and QOL and depression. Patient admissions as well as average length of stay decreased over the course of the project.
Limitations: The small convenience sample size limits the generalizability of the results to other practice sites. Patients who were not readmitted during the project timeframe were lost to follow-up, and were not reassessed to determine the effects of treatment recommended by the guideline.
Conclusions: Interdisciplinary teams are effective in creating a guideline to assess and treat depression and sleep impairment and their effects on pain and QOL in patients with SCD.
Implications for Practice: PC APRNs provide support and symptom management to patients with life-limiting and serious illnesses, including patients with SCD, as a means of improving QOL. This project has significance for APRNs in both palliative care and specialty SCD/Hematology care as a means to translate existing research into evidence-based practice; as well as provide an efficient and effective means to evaluate and treat depression and sleep impairment and their impact on pain and quality of life....
Care of veterans: A patient with post traumatic stress disorder and depression in a peri-operative scenario
(2017-08-17)
Care of veterans concepts in nursing curriculum is vital for students in all settings to understand the impact that military service has on health (Johnson et al., 2013). Significant physical health issues, behavioral ...
Depression screening and management in a free primary care clinic
Introduction. Depression diagnoses in the United States continue to rise within the primary care setting. At a free primary care clinic in the Southeastern United States, the PHQ-9 screening tool was being used to screen ...
Implementation of depression screening to optimize chronic pain management
(2016-06-15)
Background: Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and the evidence demonstrates prevalent co morbidity of chronic pain and psychological issues such as anxiety, insomnia, and depression. The existence of ...
Depression screening to improve early detection, referral, and treatment of depression in patients with diabetes
Comorbid depression is common among adults with diabetes and is associated with negative impacts on quality of life, health outcomes, and mortality rates. As of 2015, it was estimated that 415 million people were living ...
Testosterone replacement in symptomatic men: Assessing knowledge, barriers, and prescribing habits of nurse practitioners
(2014-05-13)
Purpose: Approximately 13 million men suffer with low testosterone, reporting symptoms of fatigue, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction (ED), and depression. Despite the published benefits of testosterone therapy, ...